The Juxtaposition of Karma Lee
by Lee M. Campbell
Summary: When Karma Lee is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she has to choose between her beliefs and thoughts she has held onto her entire life, or pleasing her new and influential friend.
1. Chapter 1

Karma Lee flitted around her small one room bungalow. It was made with sturdy mud bricks, and had a roof with tightly woven palm fronds. She had been living near the mysterious temple ruins her whole life. She had watched explorer after explorer go in and never come out. Lately though a select group had ventured in and out many times. Soon talk of museum just for the temple ruins artifacts seemed possible.

Karma tugged down the sleeve of her long tan nightgown. She had skillfully embroidered pink flowers and vines along the bottom. Karma stoked her small fire and started preparing her morning tea. The sun was slowly sneaking up on the horizon and the air was already hot. It would be another hundred degree day in the jungle. Karma went over to her chest and pulled out her outfit for the day.

Every day she wore white capris she had embroidered with pink flowers and vines. She wore a tan long-sleeved shirt that matched her skin color. Over that she out on a water resistant vest with white puffy sleeves. Her sleeves had red silk trim. Karma always used a sturdy leather belt with her capris and decorative golden belt over her red vest. She wore silk ribbons on her forearms, laced up the same way she wore her shoes. Her shoes were slippers made of strong yet flexible black leather. She laced them up her legs with the same black ribbon she used on her forearms. Every day she pinned up her shiny black hair with many pins and a gold flexible hairband.

She dressed the same way every day, she had several copies of her one outfit. Her look commanded respect and made her look dignified. Although her abode might be humble, Karma did not want people to group her with the "poor". Poor spanned everything from wealth, manners and appearance in her little village. Usually if you could uphold two, you wouldn't be classified undesirably. Karma made good money transporting artifacts from the ruins to the biggest city nearby. The explorers had grown to trust her, and knew her to be reliable.

Karma's pot of water had become a pleasing warmth. She took it off the fire and added a handful of tea leaves. Karma sat on a warn cushion in front of her low table and waited for the tea leaves to flavor the water. As she was waiting Scarlett Fox stepped through her door. The past few months Scarlett coming in the mornings for tea had become a ritual. Scarlett told Karma stories from her numerous adventures in the ruins. She told Karma of the strange monsters that chased the explorers until they reached the end of the ruins, or abandoned their artifact from the temple.

"Hey Karma." Scarlett seated herself on a cushion across from Karma.

"Hi Scarlett." Karma responded, her English was heavily drenched in the accent of her native language. Lately her English speaking skills had greatly improved, and she was even learning some words she considered to be slang. She pulled down two large wooden cups from a shelf and poured tea in each one.

"I plan on going into the ruins after Guy today." Scarlett sighed and gingerly sipped the hot tea. Karma discreetly rolled her eyes at the mention of Guy. Some mornings Karma's doses of adventure stories were replaced by Guy. Guy Dangerous was Scarlett's boyfriend. Karma could really care less about their relationship. She didn't want to seem rude to her newest friend, so she quietly suffered and listened to her about Guy.

"Neat. Do you have a specific artifact you're going to try to grab today?" Karma eagerly asked. Scarlett didn't seemed focused.

"No not really. Just a search run to see if I find anything." Scarlett said absentmindedly. Karma could see Scarlett wasn't in a story telling mood.

"When's your next attempt to get the idol again?" Karma asked. The religion from the temple still was practiced in her village. Karma was one of the few to believe in something else.

"After Guy goes in for artifacts, I'll go in for the idol. It would really be the center of the museum, I hope we can get it this time." Every explorer had abandoned the idol when they were pursued by throngs of beasts. Karma nodded and tried to be polite.

"I am sure you will get it soon." Karma took another small sip of her tea.

"You should go in Karma." Suddenly Scarlett's full attention rested on her.

"I am going to the city in three days, do you need me to go sooner?" Karma didn't understand what "go in" had meant.

"The temple Karma! You have gone around it your whole life! I'm sure you know every path!" Scarlett's eyes lit up. Karma did know every path because she had always known which places to avoid.

"No, I couldn't." Karma bit her lip.

"You could! I can't believe we didn't think of this before!" Karma shook her head.

"I am too busy organizing artifacts to bring to the museum in the city. I only have three days until we leave for the city." The artifacts had always been organized. As soon as one was in Karma's possession, it was neatly tucked away for the city trip. The artifacts never needed to be prepped for the trip.

"I know better than that Karma." Scarlett looked directly into her eyes. Karma looked away.

"I'm no explorer, I'm not cut out for adventures." Karma discreetly smiled to herself. She had used the phrase she heard Guy say. She was proud of her English.

"You don't need to be! Besides Karma, I think you are." Karma's face reddened at Scarlett's words. She was truly flattered to be offered the experience by Scarlett. Scarlett and Guy were in charge of exploring the temple. Karma rolled the idea around in her head. She tried to come up with more excuses to offer to her friend.

"Well…"


	2. Chapter 2

Karma had always promised herself she would never enter the ruins. She had promised her family, when they were living, too. Her stomach churned at her promise, and the many haunting memories. Karma had become an expert at pushing her past to a desolate piece of her mind, were she would never have to battle it. Whenever she took it upon herself to get rid of them, she came out more mentally torn and bloody than she had ever been.

Karma busied herself downing her large glass of tea. She had promised all of the people important to her. Although now she had gained new friends, powerful friends that were important to her. She didn't want to let Scarlett down, ever since the explorers came she had tried to impress them. The explorers could offer her a position and ultimately a better life she had told herself. They had offered her a position too, one transporting the sown fruits of the temple.

This new position could give her status and importance. The explorers who went into the temple came out heroes, both to the natives and to their colleagues. The ones who went in got many gifts the natives put much effort into. Beautiful carvings, bouquets of cherished flowers, the best cuisine for miles and their respect among countless other things. Karma wanted just a morsel of the feast of rewards the explorers got often.

Father though. Her beloved father, who had always given her a seeming never ending flood of love. Her father who had gotten himself killed trying to get her and her mother a better life. She had promised her family she wouldn't make the mistake her beloved father had made. She wandered through the warm memories until they abruptly ended, bringing her back to a time she didn't like to remember. Tears welled in her eyes and she finished her tea. She had to respond now.

"No, Scarlett I am sorry." She said, she was trying desperately to keep her voice level. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some work to do." Karma stood up and strode out her door, leaving Scarlett sitting at her table confused.

As soon as she was out of the center of the village she ran. When she had been younger, she was the undefeated racing champion. Even the boys couldn't beat her. Karma followed the paths she had followed her whole life. She turned on to a lesser used trail. She soared over fallen logs, dived under low hanging foliage and never lost her speed. When she came to the river she stopped and sat down on the cleanest rock she could find.

Karma's head throbbed with painful memories. She squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to barricade in her tears. Tears spurt from her tightly shut eyes though. She gave up trying to stop them and opened her eyes. The tears made two little waterfalls down each of her cheeks. Years of held in tears seemed to flow from the reserve. She heard cautious footsteps coming closer. She spun around angrily only to find her childhood best friend, Flower.

"Oh Karma." Flower grabbed her hand and sat beside her. Flower put her basket full of edible berries in front of Karma. Karma giggled and started pulling leaves, twigs and the occasional bug from the basket. After a minute of sorting Flower spoke up. "So what's troubling you?" She spoke in their comforting native tongue.

"Scarlett tried to give me a position temple running." She whispered. Flower knew her whole past, in fact she had witnessed Karma go through it.

"I'm sorry Karma." Heavy silence fell over the two. "We haven't talked in a while, have we?" Flower said in an effort to change the subject. Karma had indulged herself in her work and trying to impress the explorers, she had no time for friendships and conversation.

"No. I'm sorry Flower." Karma said as she ran her hand through the ripe berries.

"Don't be sorry. You have been busy." Karma nodded to Flower. "Too much of anything is bad Karma." Flower said gently.

"You sound like our mothers. 'Too many candies are bad you two! Too much of anything isn't good!'". Karma mimicked their mothers. Flower giggled. Karma's father had always brought her candy when he visited the town. Flower and Karma had always ate it all at once, much to their mothers' dismay.

"Well Karma, are you finally going to win this war?" Flower asked.


	3. Chapter 3

Karma found herself looking to the ground. She let out the breath she had been holding. Her chest ached. She stood up from the rock, pulled her vest down and brushed off her pants.

"I have to go now Flower." Karma announced in English. Karma walked purposefully down the river and gracefully jumped onto the dead tree that served as a bridge across it. Then Karma ran. She ran all the way to the end of the land-bound ruins. "I'm sorry." She whispered in her native tongue. She felt dirty. She was betraying her loved ones.

At that Karma jumped. She sailed upwards and onto the ruins. A shot of adrenaline rushed through her veins. Karma felt as though she was flying. She tried to remember all of the areas rumored to have artifacts. She knew the dangers of swiping one, though. She felt wild as she ran. Pictures of those who had died flicked across her mind. Her heart pounded as she approached an underpass. An artifact made of gold and rubies was supposed to be here. The explorers had deemed it unsafe to enter. She heard a roar in the distance and knew the explorers were out collecting artifacts. She was sure this artifact would please them.

The coolness of the underpass made her shiver. As sure-footed as she was she suddenly became nervous she was going to fall on the wet brick. Ahead of her she saw the artifact glowing. Behind her she heard a low warning growl. Soon a beast would be after her. Wanting to punish her for disturbing an artifact. Karma reached out to grab the artifact. The weight of it surprised her. The beast let out a blood-curdling roar. Karma felt her heart leap into her throat. Her chest felt compressed.

For a moment she froze, feeling sick and dizzy. The beast rapidly barreled towards her. Karma could smell the stench of the beast. Time seemed to slow. She decided she was okay with death. She didn't know if she could deal with herself if she lived. Everybody who had ever cared for her had made her make a promise. Karma had broken her promise to. All of the things she had diligently worked to get from the explorers- status, acceptance, respect- seemed petty. She felt herself slowly unwinding and crumbling. She looked down to the artifact. Why should the temple be plundered?

"Karma!" Scarlett screamed. Karma's head snapped towards the end of the tunnel, in her stun she dropped the artifact. The same adrenaline rush she had felt earlier returned. Her legs ached to run, she felt strong.


End file.
